Automobile-wheel.



No:848,885. PATENTED APR'.2,1907 5 11,3. 0. nnvmn.

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UNITEKE STATEN PATENT OFFIGE.

DAVID R. C. DEVI NE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF .AND JOHN F. PHILLIPS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

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Be it known that 1, DAVID R. C. DEVINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Automobile-Wheels. of

. which the followin is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to tne accompany ng drawings, winch form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to vehicle-wheels, es

pecially automobilewheels.

The object of the invention is to enable pneumatic tires to be dispensed with and to that end-toso construct the wheel that the rim is capable of being displaced against the pressure of a spring medium from its normal concentric position with relation to the hub, which spring medium constantly tends to restore the rim to such normal concentric position. While wheels provided with spring mechanism-of this character are old. and well in durability in. that the spring "necessitating its frequent repair.

The object of my invention is, more specifically, to so construct the spring mechanism at its bearn'ig-point'or point of attachment that breakage thereof will be avoidedp and my invention consists in the means adopted l to' that purpose, as well as in a special construction of wheel and spring mechanism embodying such means.

A wheel embodying my invention in its preferred form will now be described.

In the drawings, Figurel is a side elevation of a wheel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of the spring and inner rim at their point of attachment, and Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view on the line 3.3 of Fig. 2.

The wheel comprises generally an outer rim (1, to which is secured the solid rubber or other tire I), the inner rim 0, the elliptical springs d, connecting the outer and inner runs, the hub e, and the spokesf, uniting the hub and the inner rim.

Each spring, of which there is a series extending aroundthe wheel, comprises a strip of spring metal bent approximately into the shape of an ellipse having the middle part of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1906. Serial No. 326,968.

Patented April 2, 1907.

one of its long dimensions cutaway. This strip is at its center secured to the outer rim in any convenient way, as by a bolt and nut Z. Its ends are each bent outwardly and inwardly with respect to its intermediate portion and thenceagain bent successively toward and from the inner rim to form a bend or hump g, that contacts with the-outer face of the inner rim. In that part of the s ring bent as aforesaid is a slot h, extending ongitudinally of the strip.

Extendin through the inner rim-and the slot 72 is a be ti, having ahead 7' overlying the concavity of the hump and nut k. The under surface 0? the head of the boltis convex, as shown, to correspond with the concavity of the hump, but with a more pronounced curvature. 1

When the wheel is in use, pressureis ap plied to the outer rim so as to compress a given spring (I, and the ends thereof will rock upon their humps g, so as to tilt one extreme end of the spring outwardly away from the inner rim and the other extreme end of the spring inwardly toward the inner rim, and at the same time both ends of the spring will move slightly forwardly along the inner rim in the direction of the rotation of the wheel, this movement being permitted by the slots it. When one extreme end of the spring moves away from the inner rim, as aforesaid, the part of the spring adjacent to the hump contacts with the rim, thus distributingv the strain upon the spring and preventing such,

strain from being localized at the point of connection with the inner rim. Upon the pressure being released the spring'returns to its normal position. It is found that by permitting the ends of the spring to rock and slide upon the rim the strain on the spring, which otherwise would soon break it, is re lieved by this rocking and sliding motion.

It is obvious that the means hereinbefore described for securing the springs to the rim may be applied to springs between the rim and hub that are shaped and located in a manner different from that hereinbefore described.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is i 1. In a vehicle-wheel, the co'mbination with a rim and a hub, of spring-strips confined between them and adapted to yield leai n,

during com ression of the rim, said springs being provi during the compression of the spring to rock and slide upon one of the wheel members.

being provided with a bend or hump at'lapted the compression of the spring to rock durin and side upon one of the wheel members, said spring being slotted longi l udinaily in the part thereof provided with the hump, and :1

her.

3. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with a rim and a hub, of springstrips confined between them and adapted to yield during com ression of the rim, said springs being provi ed with a bend or hump a: apted during the compression of the spring to rock and slide upon one of thewheel members, said spring-being slotted longitudinally in the part thereof provided with-the hump, and a bolt engaging the slot and said wheel memher, said bolt having a head whose under surface is convex and rests within the concavity of the hump.

4. In a veh.iclewheel, the combination with an outer rim, an inner rim spaced. therefrom and normally concentric thereto, a hub, and connections between the hub and the inner rim, of a series of springs interposed between the rims, each spring comprising an elastic metal strip secured between its ends to the outer rim and having its ends bent inwardly toward each other, so .as to lie outside the inner rim, each spring-strip, near each of its ends, being bent successively toward and from the inner rim to form a hump, contacting therewith, adapted during the compression of the spring to rock and slide upon the rim, said spring being slotted longitudinally near its end, and a bolt engaging the rim and the slot of the spring.

5. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with an outer rim, an inner rim spaced therefrom and normally concentric thereto, a hub, and connections between the hub'and the inner rim, of a series of springs interposedbetween the rims, each spring comprising an elastic metal strip secured between its ends to the outer rim and having its ends bent ined with a bend or hump adapted from and normally concentric thereto, a hub, and connectlrns between the hub and the inner run, of a series of springs interposed between the rims, each spring comprising an 2. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination- With a rim and a hub, of spring-strips confined between them and adapted to yield during compression of the rim, said springs elastic metal strip secured between the ends to the outer rim and having its ends bent in. wardly toward each other, so as to lie outside the inner rim, each spring-strip, near each of its ends, being bent successively toward and from the inner rim to form-a hump contacting therewith, said spring-strip being slotted longitudinally in tnat part of the stri p so contacting with the inner rim, and a olt engaging the slot and said wheel memltolt extending through the rim and the slot of the spring-strip and having a head having a convex under surface overlyin and contacting with the concavity of the ump.

7. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with an outer rim, an inner rim spaced therefrom and normally concentric therewith, a hub and connections between the hub and the inner tho, of a series of springs interposed between the rims and secured to one of the rims, said springs eac being bent outwardly and inwart ly to f n a bum cont-acting with the other rim ..nd ada ted in the compression of the springto me and slide'upon its contacting rim.

8. In ,a vehicle-wheel, the combination wi than outer rim, an inner. rim spaced there-. from and normally concentric therewith, a hub, and connections between the hub and the inner rim, oia series of springs interposed between the rims and secured to one of the rims, said s rings each being bent upwardly and inwar ly to form a hum' contacti with the other rim, said spring lieing slott d lon itudinally in the part thereof provided with the bump, and a bolt engagin the slot and wheel member whose under suace rests within the concavity of the'hump.

9. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with an outer rim, an inner rim spaced there-- from and normally concentric thereto, a hub, and connections between-the hub and the inner rim, of a series of springs interposed be-- tween the rims, each springcomprising'an elastic strip secured between its ends'to the outer rim and having its ends each bent successively outwardly and inwardly with re spect to its intermediate portion and thence.

wardly toward each other, so as to lie outside 1th inner rim, each spring-strip, near each of its ends being bent successively tocontacting therewith, adapted during the again bent for a 'relativel' shortdistance outwardly and inwardly to orm a hump contactin with the inner rim, said hump being slotted longitudinally, and a bolt engaging the rim and the slot oft-he spring. ward and from the inner rim to form a hump,

compression of the spring to rock and slide 3 upon the rim, and means securing the spring to the inner rim.

6. In a vehicle-wheel the combination with an outer rim, an inner rim spaced therehereunto set 

